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I think I may have just set a personal record — it has been nearly two months since I last really revisited Apple (NYSE:AAPL) through this blog. But while I’ve been preoccupied with the latest comings and goings of the Fed and the low-liquidity environment, Apple clearly has been working overtime to get the iPhone 5 ready for this fall.

And as we draw closer to Apple’s special press event (scheduled for a week from today), rumors are running rampant about what the newest iPhone will bring to the smartphone market. One of the biggest factors that the tech community is looking for is 4G capability — this would represent quite an upgrade from last year’s iPhone 4S. And rumor has it that the new iPhone will be slightly taller and thinner than previous models. As it stands, the expected changes are already enough to pique consumer interest; analysts expect that Apple could sell 10 million of the new iPhone in the first week alone!

Along with the new iPhone, Apple is expected to reveal more details about its mobile operating system- -the iOS 6 — which revamps the turn-by-turn navigation app, a new and improved Siri and better video chat options. It’s all but guaranteed that the newest operating system will come standard with the iPhone 5.

Now, there has been talk that the iPad mini will also be revealed next week, but I think that’s unlikely. Apple is well aware that this could risk cannibalizing either product’s launch, so the more likely scenario is that it will have two separate events to keep the excitement up through the fall. Right now, the most credible sources put an iPad mini launch in October.

So with Apple’s mere hint of the iPhone 5 launch, the gadget giant has snapped us out of the dog days of summer. I’ll have more details on the day of the event, so be sure to check in next Wednesday.